Harry A Petrak

42380146, Dec 9, 1980

Jun 16, 1978

5/916288

Harry A. Petrak - Boulder CO

B60B 2700
F16D 4320

192 54

An automatic locking gear has been devised in which rapid, positive axial location and driving engagement is established between concentric driving and driven members through the agency of a clutch type actuator mechanism which is responsive to rotation of the driving member to be forced into intermeshing engagement with a complementary receiving member on the driven member. The actuator mechanism is characterized by including a spring-loaded compressible bearing arrangement which normally urges the actuator mechanism into a locked stationary position but will permit retraction of the actuator mechanism away from the locked position whenever torque is applied to the actuator mechanism so that the mechanism is free to travel or rotate with the actuator-receiving mechanism when the driving and driven members are interconnected; and when torque is no longer applied to the actuator mechanism it is free to return gradually into its normal locked position without the application of external forces or control.

43312101, May 25, 1982

Apr 24, 1980

6/143198

Harry A. Petrak - Boulder CO

Tenneco, Inc. - Deerfield IL

B60K 1700
F16C 1300

180 70R

An assembly maintenance tube maintains a live spindle mounted within a bore of a vehicle mounting component. The maintenance tube has a central aperture for receiving in a spaced relationship a drivable axle. The axle is drivingly connected to the live spindle in a manner which allows axial movement of the axle relative to the spindle to relieve stress in the drive train which drives the axle.

50444794, Sep 3, 1991

Mar 12, 1990

7/491736

Harry A. Petrak - Boulder CO

Boulder 12 Investments - Boulder CO

F16D 3900

192 49

A clutch assembly for automotive vehicle four-wheel drives either in association with an axle disconnect or wheel hub incorporates a power shift mechanism which can be remotely activated either when the vehicle is static, in motion and during either forward or reverse direction of movement to positively drive the clutch members into and out of engagement with one another. The power shift mechanism includes sealed envelopes in the form of expandable and contractable compartments which in response to a remote control valve will positively shift the clutch members into and out of engagement, and the members will remain in the shifted position without the continued application of force until positively shifted away from that position by the power shift mechanism.

51235137, Jun 23, 1992

Jan 15, 1991

7/642209

Harry A. Petrak - Boulder CO

Boulder 12 Investments - Boulder CO

F16D 2504

192 85CA

A clutch assembly for automotive vehicle four-wheel drives either in association with an axle disconnect or wheel hub incorporates a power shift mechanism which can be remotely activated either when the vehicle is static, in motion and during either forward or reverse direction of movement to positively drive the clutch members into and out of engagement with one another. The power shift mechanism includes sealed envelopes in the form of expandable and contractable compartments which in response to a remote control valve will positively shift the clutch members into and out of engagement, and the members will remain in the shifted position without the continued application of force until positively shifted away from that position by the power shift mechanism. In the alternative, a spool-like shifter may be utilized with positive locking elements which will lock the clutch members in the engaged and disengaged position at the end of travel of the shift mechanism. 2.

43788688, Apr 5, 1983

Apr 24, 1980

6/143197

Harry A. Petrak - Boulder CO

Tenneco Inc. - Bannockburn IL

F16D 1100
F16D 4320

192 93A

A vehicle wheel assembly of the live spindle type is rendered driven or free wheeling by a torque responsive hub clutch. The hub clutch operates in response to the presence or absence of relative rotary motion between a driveable axle and a passive or stationary member in the wheel assembly.

43960987, Aug 2, 1983

Feb 3, 1981

6/231057

Harry A. Petrak - Boulder CO

Boulder 12 Investments - Boulder CO

F16F 919

188280

A fluid vibration damper, such as, a shock absorber includes a cylinder and piston combination in which the piston head travels through a fluid-filled cylinder and has fluid bypass openings in its external surface forming one or more recesses of predetermined cross-sectional configurations and sizes whereby to regulate fluid flow past the piston head according to a performance curve. The bypass openings can be formed in interchangeable elements so as to permit selective variations in the fluid flow characteristics of each particular size or design of shock absorber according to a specific force performance curve.

45573581, Dec 10, 1985

Mar 4, 1983

6/472028

Harry A. Petrak - Boulder CO

Tenneco Inc. - Lincolnshire IL

F16D 1106
F16D 4302
B60B 2700

192 35

An automatic locking gear is adapted to drivingly connect a drive axle and wheel hub automatically in response to application of torque to the drive axle which has a stationary housing in which said drive axle is journaled, a drive gear keyed for rotation with the drive axle while being slidable in an axial direction independently of the drive axle, and a driven gear is keyed for rotation with the wheel hub while being slidable in an axial direction independently of the wheel hub. The locking member is mounted on the stationary housing, and the cam follower mounted on the drive gear. The cam follower control means is operative to advance the cam follower in a direction causing the drive gear to move into engagement with the driven gear in response to the application of torque to the drive gear, the control means in turn being released from engagement with the locking member in response to engagement between said drive gear and said driven gear; and an override mechanism is interposed between the locking member and housing to release the locking member for limited rotation in response to the application of torque from the driven gear into the drive gear prior to releasing the control means from locking engagement with the locking member.

42627850, Apr 21, 1981

Jul 19, 1978

5/926082

Larry B. Anderson - Racine WI
Clark J. Hamkins - Racine WI
Harry A. Petrak - Boulder CO
David V. Schaefer - Burlington WI

The Mechanex Corporation - Englewood CO

F16D 1100
F16D 4320

192 35

A clutch interposed between a hub mounted for rotation on a spindle and a selectively driveable axle which extends longitudinally through the spindle serves to engage the hub to the axle when the clutch is subjected to torque caused by placement of the axle in a dynamic or driving axle mode. When the axle is in a passive or non-driving axle mode the clutch serves to disengage the hub from the axle whereby the hub is free-wheeling on the spindle.